Jakarta Post articles from November 2011

Jakarta Post archives from November 2011

Tensions high in Papua ahead of OPM day.
November 30, 2011... Authorities are beefing up security in Papua amid rumors of unrest ahead of events scheduled for the 50th anniversary of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) on Dec. 1. Residents in several cities in the nation's easternmost province have...

Strictly Javanese at language congress.
November 30, 2011... A four-day Javanese Language Congress being held in Surabaya, East Java, since last Sunday has turned into a formal Javanese forum as all of the participants, regardless of their places of origin, have been required to speak the high form of the...

Crystal meth labs thrive in RI.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The menus of many nightclubs in North Jakarta include not only food and drink -- but also drugs such as crystal methamphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine. According to one regular patron of the...

Bali toll road construction to begin next month.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar After months of delay, the construction of a toll road connecting Serangan, Benoa and Nusa Dua will commence in December. Sumaryanto Widayatin, the deputy state-owned enterprises minister...

Insight: Consumer frenzy a symptom of addicted society.
November 30, 2011... Byline: B. Herry-Priyono, Jakarta (JP)The commotion was as gripping as riots. But this was not triggered by violence but by a consumer orgy. The prized object was the latest BlackBerry smartphone popularly called "Bellagio". The setting...

Political parties are 'pocketing' regional aid funds.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It is called "social aid" funding but, often, it does not benefit the needy. On the contrary, political parties "pocket" the money to finance their political activities or to support...

City blasted for not protecting heritage house.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Novia D. Rulistia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Heritage lover Adolf Heuken has called on the Jakarta administration to uphold one of its main tasks, of preserving all heritage sites as, once again, the city has lost a historic building,...

Group accuses Aceh leader of peatland destruction.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An Acehnese civil society group says it has reported Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf to the National Police for issuing a business licence to a company to convert 1,605 hectares in Tripa Swamp, Aceh,...

Major political parties rally against KPK officer Abdullah.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Major political parties say Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) advisor Abdullah Hehamahua is not fit to pilot the anticorruption agency. House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal...

Ex-Pertamina official named bribery suspect in Innospec case.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A former Pertamina official has been named a suspect in a bribery case involving a UK-based manufacturing firm. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) says it has already charged Suroso...

Muhaimin asks govt to reject Yenny's party.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), who is also the manpower and transmigration minister, Muhaimin Iskandar, has submitted a letter to the Law and Human Rights Ministry, requesting that it...

Nazaruddin to stand trial this week.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Former Democratic Party treasurer, former lawmaker and graft defendant Muhammad Nazaruddin is set to appear at the Jakarta Corruption Court for the first hearing in his graft trial on Wednesday, the...

RI granted $12m to save ozone layer.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, BALI: Developed countries have granted US$12 million to Indonesia to help it reduce the use of substances that would deplete the ozone layer, over the next seven years, a senior official says. The Environment...

Govt blames farmers for low rice production.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The Agriculture Ministry says the poor rice production in Indonesia are a result of farmers' inability to utilize technology. "The problem is the [farmers'] inability to put technological recommendations...

Govt 'not seeing' real problem in education.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: A member of the House of Representatives Commission X, Rohmani, says that by issuing a joint ministerial decree on teachers' governance, the government has shown that it has missed the core problem facing...

People with AIDS face social stigma, poor healthcare.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Elly Burhaini Faizal, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia is seen as unfriendly by those living with HIV/AIDS, with many claiming to have faced various forms of discrimination in their neighborhoods or workplaces. With recent...

West Java province threatened by population explosion.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung A population explosion is looming in West Java, the province with the highest population of 43 million people, or one-fifth of Indonesia's population. West Java Family Planning and...

Experts criticize E. Java draft water bylaw.
November 30, 2011... Experts say that the East Java Legislative Council's recently approved draft bylaw on water management does not reflect the public interest is not ecologically friendly. Corporations would be able to exploit underground water if the draft...

NTB promotes tourism in Lombok, Sumbawa.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Sanur, Bali The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial administration, through the NTB Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD), is aggressively promoting Lombok and Sumbawa's tourism potential in Bali. A...

Bodies of Cessna victims located.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Bandung: Majalengka residents along with rescuers from the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, the Nature Lover's Society (Wanadri) and the National Search and Rescue Agency have located the bodies of...

Langkat speaker allegedly backed conversions.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, MEDAN: The speaker of the Langkat Legislative Council and a foreign investor financed the conversion of a mangrove forest into a palm oil plantation in the Sei Babalan forest reserve in Langkat, North Sumatra,...

Editorial: Gearing up for uncertainty.(Editorial)
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Indonesia may still end up with robust eco-nomic growth of at least 6.5 percent this year, but next year is full of uncertainty in view of the worsening government debt crisis in Europe and the weakening recovery in...

Asset concentration and quality of growth in Indonesia.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Winarno Zain, Jakarta The list of the 40 richest Indonesians as published by Forbes magazine recently revealed the extent of asset concentration in this country. According to the magazine, the 40 richest Indonesians possess...

View Point: Enter the dragon; exit the eagle?
November 30, 2011... Byline: Julia Suryakusuma, Jakarta When European and Western hegemony was at its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, my late husband, Ami, often asked why people studied European languages instead of Chinese or Japanese. "Asia," he said, "is where...

Political moratorium: Working together for the common good.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Stefan S. Handoyo, Jakarta I owe the term "political moratorium" to my dear friend Allan Jeffrey Dompas whose posthumous article was published in The Jakarta Post on Nov. 12, four days after he left the world. His suggestion is...

Letter: Misconception of sports in Indonesia.
November 30, 2011... There is a misconception of sports in Indonesia, and more especially in soccer-matters, as middle-class people seem so enthusiastic concerning a sport controlled by the upper class for a single target: to make money in a strange tango between...

Letter: Between benefits and disaster.
November 30, 2011... Indonesia made it to number two on the list of countries with the highest rates of deforestation, cheek by jowl with Nigeria and Brazil, based on a new study. The Deforestation Index was publicized by risk analysis and mapping company...

Letter: Do we need the weapons?
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, I refer to an article on page 3 of Saturday's The Jakarta Post titled "Government to seal arms deal". Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said: "We will buy a main battle tank." Thank God our visionary leaders...

Text your say: Bridge collapse.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Your comments on the collapse of Kutai Kartanegara Bridge in East Kalimantan, which is the latest in a series of incidents involving failed public works projects: What a shame! It is a fact that the Dutch...

Issue: Speak about Papua should know the facts.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Nov. 24, p. 6 The call by Eni F. H. Faleomavaega and Donald M. Payne in The Jakarta Post on Nov. 18 on Indonesia to "Step up and end systematic abuses in 'West Papua'" is another example of one those apparently...

Comments: Police halt BlackBerry promo on safety fears.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Nov. 25, Online, , The South Jakarta Police stopped a BlackBerry promotion event after 90 customers either fainted or were injured as they scrambled to get their hands on half-price BlackBerry Bellagio smartphones....

Police halt BlackBerry promo on safety fears.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Nov. 25, Online The South Jakarta Police stopped a BlackBerry promotion event after 90 customers either fainted or were injured as they scrambled to get their hands on half-price BlackBerry Bellagio smartphones....

Bali still rejects geothermal, governor says.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ni Komang Erviani, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika reiterated on Tuesday the province's refusal to allow geothermal exploration on the island. "We remain consistent with our decision to reject...

Ecotourism hampered by zoning uncertainty.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Luh De Suriyani, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar The plan to develop 160 villages into ecotourism centers may be hampered by zoning uncertainties. The controversial 2009 Zoning and Spatial Planning Bylaw, which offers stronger...

Hotels in Bali 'sell' used cooking oil to the public.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Wasti Atmodjo, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar The Provincial Environmental Agency revealed that several hotels in Bali had sold stocks of used cooking oil to individuals, who later refined the oil before selling them on to the general...

Young entrepreneurs attend workshop.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, DENPASAR: As many as 200 young entrepreneurs from Badung, Denpasar and Gianyar participated in a workshop designed to improve their skills. Organized by the Provincial Cooperative and Small Scale Industry Agency,...

Conrad launches wedding design competition.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, DENPASAR: Conrad Bali launched a wedding design competition aimed at testing newly engaged couples' creative skills in a bid to win a generous honeymoon package consisting of four nights at the Conrad Suites, a...

Bogor Mayor Showing Weakness in GKI Yasmin Saga: Lawmaker
November 30, 2011... Byline: Hans David Tampubolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A House of Representatives legislator criticized Bogor Mayor Diani Budiarto for being weak and partial in handling the GKI Taman Yasmin church-closure case, calling on the city council...

Govt urges city to meet Dec. deadline.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Andreas D. Arditya, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Home Ministry is encouraging the Jakarta administration to complete the electronic identity (e-ID) data collection before the end-of-the-year deadline. Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi...

Rp 13b in losses from traffic accidents: Police.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The Jakarta Police announced on Tuesday that the material losses caused by road accidents between January and October reached Rp 13 billion (US$1.42 million). Jakarta Police traffic directorate chief Sr....

Five candidates pass KIP 'fit and proper' tests.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The team charged with choosing the members of Jakarta's Public Information Commission (KIP) says that five people have passed the final stage of the selection process. Ida Mahmudah, the chairman of the...

Tangerang cites 747 as traffic program begins.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The Tangerang City Police say officers have fined 747 people for traffic offenses during the first two days of Jakarta's annual Zebra Jaya traffic crackdown. In Jakarta the police recorded the most...

NGOs demand transparency in drafting rights declaration.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ni Komang Erviani , The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali Civil society groups in Southeast Asia have urged the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to be transparent in drafting the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration. ...

RI will lead SE Asian economic growth in next five years: OECD.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta With its large domestic market, Indonesia is expected to lead economic growth in six Southeast Asian countries over the next five years despite the slowdown in the global economy, the OECD says. The...

Gold remains safe haven with few risks: Analysts.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Linda Yulisman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Gold will remain the most popular investment instrument amid widespread global uncertainties as investors look for safe havens with relatively low risks, a financial research and advisory firm...

Surging local demand fuels iron and steel expansion.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Three iron ore plants with a combined investment of US$470 million are slated to begin operations in 2012 with a priority of meeting surging local demand. The Industry Ministry's director for base metal industries...

Gas from Tangguh's third train set for PLN.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The government said Tuesday that half the gas from the planned third train at the Tangguh liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Papua might be allocated to state electricity utility, PT PLN. Deputy Energy...

Only 46 out of 271 contractors in production.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Upstream oil and gas regulator BPMigas says that out of 271 oil and gas contractors operating in Indonesia, only 46 companies have started production activities with a total contribution...

Life insurers boost micro insurance to keep high growth.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Local life insurance companies are providing more micro insurance packages with increasingly affordable premiums in order to be able to gain full advantage from the country's large population, an insurance...

BI promises to further defend rupiah as sell-off continues.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Reacting to recent rupiah sell-off pressures that have increased demand, Bank Indonesia says it will continue supporting the foreign exchange (forex) market by using its reserves, although the forex liquidity of...

Govt to offer retail sukuk bonds in March.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Esther Samboh, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government will begin offering retail Islamic debt papers (sukuk) to individual investors in March after previous issuances drew strong interest despite the shaky global financial market....

Beckham wannabes get quick glimpse of their idol.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta David Beckham and his LA Galaxy teammates thrilled about 250 young children given the chance to join a coaching clinic at Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday. For 6-year-old Nizam, an...

RI golfers must maintain appearances.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Niken Prathivi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Asian Tour expects full commitment from Indonesian golfers by participating in at least nine tours in 2012 to maintain their wild card availability in the following season. "The 2012...

Helping society one's own way.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ika Krismantari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Making a difference: The Dilts Foundation assists impoverished people in Jakarta's slums, including creating activities for kids. Courtesy of Dilts FoundationYou don't need to be Bill or...

Health sense: Stomach cancer: Symptoms and treatment.(Disease/Disorder overview)
November 30, 2011... Byline: Chan Hsiang Sui, Contributor, Singapore Stomach cancer is also known as gastric cancer. It is a disease that is caused by an abnormal growth of cells in the stomach. The cancer cells can develop throughout the stomach wall and can...

Avianti Armand: An architect with words.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Mariel Grazella, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta JP/P.J. Leo"Women are almost obscured in the annals of history," poetess Avianti Armand, who is also an accomplished architect, said. This was evident, she pointed out, because the names...

Sammy to spend Christmas in Israel.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Singer Hendra Samuel Simorangkir, popularly known as Sammy, will have a very special Christmas this year. The 29-year-old says he will fly to Israel with his entire family for the holiday. "With my...

Minister's voice auctions for US$8,175.
November 30, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Going once... going twice... sold -- a song by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu for Rp 75 million (US$8,175) at auction. Mari showed off a hidden talent at a charity golf...

Middle class 'mentally under-developed'.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Hans David Tampubolon, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta BB madness: Two women are apparently overcome with emotion while waiting to buy BlackBerry Bellagio smartphones at Pacific Place mall in Jakarta on Friday. The smartphones were on offer...

Democratic Party elite face another graft scandal.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Bagus BT Saragih, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta More and more senior politicians from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, including party chairman Anas Urbaningrum, have faced public suspicions over their involvement in...

Aussie drug boy gets light touch.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Ni Komang Erviani, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar The Denpasar District Court sentenced the Australian boy who bought marijuana near Kuta Beach to two months' imprisonment on Friday. Presiding judge Amzer Simanjuntak stated that Lewis...

No Paper.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, No paper, , In observance of Islamic New Year, The Jakarta Post will not be published on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011, and will resume publication on Monday. Readers can follow the latest news updates on...

Coffee proves to be a stimulant in more ways than one.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Elly Burhaini Faizal, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has revealed in a report that 22 out of 56 coffee samples randomly taken from markets in several cities contain chemical compounds, namely...

Javanese gear up for New Year rituals.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta The eve of the first day of Sura, the first month of the Javanese calendar, is a sacred night for members of the nation's Javanese community. This was true in Yogyakarta, the center of...

Mayor defies workers' higher wage demands.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Fadli, The Jakarta Post, Batam Although the city was quiet on Friday, the situation remained volatile in Batam with Batam Mayor Ahmad Dahlan continuing to reject the demands of local workers seeking a much higher minimum wage, arguing...

Reprimands of Papua Offenders Condemned
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta An international human rights watchdog has slammed the National Police for giving light punishment to police officers involved in the bloody Papuan Congress, calling it a "failure of human rights...

Is It Time to Give Military and Police Right to Vote?
November 26, 2011... Byline: Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta House factions are split on whether members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police should be allowed to vote in the 2014 polls. Some politicians said 2014 would be the...

Government to seal arms deal.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The Defense Ministry says it is in the final stages of processing the procurement of primary defense equipment from five European countries. Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says the ministry is...

Akbar warns Golkar to beware new parties.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Golkar Party patron Akbar Tanjung has warned the party not to underestimate new political parties, among them the National Democratic Party with former Golkar figure and media tycoon Surya Paloh as its...

President's son wedding modest: Marzuki.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Democratic Party executive board deputy chief Marzuki Alie insisted that the high-profile wedding of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's second son, Edhie Baskoro, was fairly modest and should not be fussed...

House Told to Focus on Election Bill Deliberation
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The revision to the 2007 election law should address common problems that arise during elections, observers say, reminding lawmakers not to spend too much energy debating the contentious plan to increase the...

Ministry on the defensive after scathing deforestation report.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government says that a global risk analysis and mapping company has compiled a "misleading" report claiming that the rate of deforestation in Indonesia was one of the worst in the world. "The study is...

National Social Security Programs Mired in Uncertainties
November 26, 2011... Byline: Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Skepticism and uncertainties are haunting the planned implementation of five mandatory social security programs in 2014 and 2015. Questions have arisen over whether the government and...

Accurate early warnings help reduce disaster risks.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Elly Burhaini Faizal, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Establishing a stronger early warning system is critical due to expected increases in countries' vulnerabilities to natural hazards in the future, a senior geophysics official says. ...

Police nab masterminds of orangutan deaths.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: East Kalimantan Police have arrested and named two people as suspects, PCH, a Malaysian, and his Indonesian cohort, W, in connection with the recent deaths of several orangutans in plantation areas in...

PGRI calls for teacher quota benchmark.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: The Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) urged the government to set a quota for teachers throughout the country, to be used as a reference for schools hoping to hire new teaching staff. PGRI chief...

More migrants may face death in S. Arabian.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, JAKARTA: Sampang Regent Madura has sent a letter to the Manpower and Transmigration Minister relating to two migrant workers who are facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. The head of Sampang's Manpower and...

Medan Police target alleged illegal public transport terminals.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan The authorities in Medan, North Sumatra, have cracked down on at least 14 allegedly illegal transportation company terminals operating in the provincial capital, mostly over the companies'...

No power for bad payers: PLN.
November 26, 2011... Byline: Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto The Purwokerto office of state-owned electricity company PT PLN in Banyumas regency, Central Java, has announced that there will be zero tolerance for customers who fail to pay their...

W. Lombok to get presidential kudo for reforestation program.
November 26, 2011... West Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) will accept an award as one of three regencies that have successfully implemented the One Billion Indonesian Trees (OBIT) program this year. Regent Zaini Arony said the award would be given to the...

Hospital drug warehouse set on fire.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, KUPANG: Unidentified people are believed to have set fire to a drug storage facility at the Waikabubak Regency Hospital in West Sumba regency, East Nusa Tenggara, early on Friday, damaging the entire stock of...

Sardjito earns hand-hygiene excellence award.
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, YOGYAKARTA: The World Health Organization has presented the Dr. Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta with the Asia-Pacific Hand-Hygiene Excellence Award this year in the hospital category within developing countries. ...

Editorial: Train tours.(Editorial)
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, The commuter train has become an alternative way for Jakarta residents and visitors to enjoy their weekends and holidays, as driving on those days is as distressful as on weekdays. With the number of cars and...

Editorial: Arab spring part II.(Editorial)
November 26, 2011... Byline: The Jakarta Post, Some revolutions cannot be completed in one go. In the Egyptian case, a second phase seems to be necessary and is currently in the making. This time, pro-democracy youths are battling against the full force of the...